Ice shaper



Dec. 1,1942. w. T. HEYDLUND *253,035,935y

ICE SHAPER Filed April 25, 1941 /3 lo '[6 y ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1942 ICE snAPEa william T. Healuna, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 25, 1941, Serial No. 390,245

17 claims( (ci. s2-108.5)

This invention relates to ice shapers, and it is an object of the invention to provide anv implement that is easily applied to a vrefrigerator ice freezing tray to quickly shape pieces of ice from a block of ice in the tray.

Fig. 1 in the accompanying drawing is a plan' view of part of a refrigerator ice freezing tray to which is applied an ice shaper embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section on line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view like that of Fig. 3 showing a modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, an ice tray I0 has a fla-t outward ange II around its top edge. An ice shaper is removably applied to the tray. This -ice shaper consists of a bridge or arch I2 Von which are mounted a handle I3 and a shaping member I4.

Member I4 is fastened on one end of a U- shaped leaf spring I5. The other end of leaf spring I5 secured to the arch member II2. Member I4 is in the shape ofa T. A series of prongs I6 project downward from the underside of member I4. The prongs I6a on the short leg of the T-shaped member I4 are shorter than the prongs I6 on the underside of the head of mem-I.

ber I4,

Handle I3 overlies member I4. One end of handle I3 is pivotally connected to the bridge I2. Handle I3 projects upward at an angle from bridge I2 and is shaped-generally as illustrated in Fig. 3 so that when handle I3 is moved downward' it depresses Shaper I4 into tray I0. suitable pivotal joint may be provided between handle I3 and bridge I2. In the center of bridge I2 there is a slot I'I. On the lower end of handle I3 there is formed a half round I8. 'I'he half round' I8 bears against the underside of bridge l I2 where it is held by a headed pin I9 which projects through slot I1. A resilient disc 20 exerts tension between the head of pin I9 and the upper surface of bridge I2 so that the handle I3' Any The bars 2l on the ends of bridge I2 engage beneath the ange II on opposite sides of tray I0 and are held beneath this flange by the resiliency of bridge I2. The bridge I2 is slidable up and down the length of tray I0 so that the shaper I4- may be moved into position above any part of a block of ice in tray I0. When handle I3 is pushed downward, member I4 is depressed into tray I0 until prongs I6 engage the ice block. Further pressure causes prongs I6 to enter the ice block and cause a fracture across the width of theblock. Upon further pressure, shorter prongs I6a engage the ice and cause a fracture perpendicular to the first fracture. This operation may be repeated as long as ice pieces are desired and any ice remains in the tray. By starting operation at the end of the tray which is on the same side of bridge I2 as the member I4, a series ofpairs of substantially rectangular ice pieces may be shaped from the ice block.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a slightly modified structure which is like that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 except that the T-shaped ice severing element is divided into two parts. The crosshead part 22 is secured to the A resilient leaf I5, while the short leg part 23 is mounted directly o'n the handle I3a; Other parts are the same and are indicated by the same reference characters in the drawing. When the handle I3a is depressed, it carries member 22 downward and injects the teeth I6 into the ice" block to cause a transverse fracture of the ice, and then teeth I6a on member 23 are depressed to split the piece of ice already severed by teeth IB.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as indicated in the following claims. A l

What is claimed is: A

1. An ice freezing tray and a device outside of said tray in movable engagement therewith and operable to pierce and thereby fracture ice in said tray.

2. An ice freezing tray and a device in slidable engagement with the outside of said tray and operable to pierce and thereby fracture ice in said tray.

3. An ice freezing tray having a flange at its upper edge vand a device slidably engageable with said ange and operable to pierce and thereby fracture ice in the said tray.

4. An ice freezing tray, a member slidably engageable with the outside of said tray, and ice piercing means mounted on said member.

5. An ice freezing tray having anges at the upper edges of its side walls, a member slidably engageable with said anges, and ice piercing means carried by said member.

6. An ice freezing tray and ice fracturing tion so as to limit th'e extent of the fracture caused by said leg portion.

9.` An ice freezing tray, a member adapted for slidable engagement with the outside of said tray, a handle pivotally mounted on said member,

-mechanism operable to pierce and thereby fracture icein said tray, and means for supporting said mechanism and movably engaging the extericr of said tray.

13. An ice freezing tray, a-member adapted to slidably engage the exterior of said tray, means tosever ice in said tray resiliently mounted on said member, and a handle mounted on said member for operating said ice severing means.

l14. An ice freezing tray, a member adapted to slidably engage the exterior 0f said tray, a first ice severing means resiliently mounted on said member, a handle carried by said member and means operated by movement of said handle to fracture ice in said tray.

10. An ice freezing tray having outward flanges on opposite sides thereof, a member slidably engageable with said flanges, a handle pivotally mounted on said member, and means operated by movement of said handle to fracture ice insaid tray.

11. An ice freezing tray, a member overlying said tray and having its ends in slidable engagement with the exterior of 'said tray, and means carried by said member operable to pierce and thereby fracture ice in said tray.

12. An ice freezing tray, force multiplying for operating said first means, and a second means for severing ice in said tray mounted on said handle.

15. An ice freezing tray, a resilient arch having end portions adapted to slidably engage the exterior of said tray, an ice-severing element secured to said arch by a leaf spring, and a lever pivotally mounted on said arch and arranged to depress said ice severing means.

16. An ice freezing tray having outward flanges on opposite side. walls thereof, a resilient arch having end portions adapted to slidably engage beneath said flanges, an ice severing element lmounted on said arch for vertical movement, and

a lever pivoted on said arch and operable to depress said ice severing element.

17. An ice freezing tray, means adapted to slidably engage the exterior of said tray, anA

ice severing element mounted on said means for up and down movement, means urging said element upward and a handle for moving said element downward to sever ice in said tray.

WILLIAM T. HEDLUND. 

